Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-12-22
A Kaffip Heroine.

The following is in outline the story
of real Kaffir heroine: A father who
| had been unfortunate and had lost all
his wealth was importuned to give up
his two daughters for wives to the
master who had befriended him in his
necessities. He had no power, even
if he had the will, to resist the demand;
SO in due time the daughters were sent
to their intended lords kraal. They
would not 90 into the hut, until at last
they were forcibly carried in. 1t was
night, and one of the girls, worn out
with fatigue and weeping, had fallen
asleep. But if she slept her sister was
awake, and determined to be free
Her eyes turned toward the distant
land of Natal, for among those of her
tribe who had taken refuge there was
certain young man with whom she
had been acquainted from childhood
and who had obtained possession of
her heart before that evil day which
compelled him to run for his life
When she thought the fit moment had
come Uzinto released herself from her
bonds, and taking up her mat crept
out of the hut.
She determined to avoid the kraals
and travel as much as possible in the
bush. A terrible fight caused by a
leopard was the only incident she met
with, and at the end of the fourth day
she forded the river Tugela. very tired
and very hungry. Uzinto now went to
kraal to obtain food, and to discover
where her people lived. The owner
saw that she was a fugitive, and
thought it fine opportunity to gain a
wife without expense. She declined
to become an inmate of his house, and
abode with one of his wives for the
night. The Jealous wife communicated
to her the information she wanted, and
told her that the man wished to de-
| ceive her. When Uzinto departed in
the morning the master of the kraal
met her and again endeavored to per-
suade her to return. He was rich; she
should have plenty of milk and plenty
of beef; she had only to become his
wife to be happy and honored. She
listened in silence and went on her
way to her own people, where she was
received by the chief as one of his
wards. Then began her search for
her lover. His brothers kraal adioin-
ed her new home, and one morning,
meeting her lovers favorite nephew,
affecting not to know him, she said
that his face was not altogether strange
to her, and wondered where she had
seen him. The boy did not think she
had seen him anywhere, and when she
suggested the Folosi river he told her
he had never been there. The truth
was the shreWd urchin knew her and
wanted to make her more explicit and
say whose nephew he was. She found
that her lover was many miles away.
The boy took a message from her, and
her lovers reply was favorable, though
! no present accompanied it; and when
Uzinto thought thereon her heart was
sad. Meantime two suitOrs paid her
unremitting attention, but she turned
a deaf ear to their prayers. After
awhile her lover came back, but the
! offended maiden would not deign to
speak to him; and when he became
sick she attended to him, but in sill
ence. After his recovery she took q
| little girl and set off for his kraal I'M
der cover of the night, that she might
| have an interview without creating
| suspicion. The entrance was closed,
but she threw stone upon the hut.
Then, after a scene with her lover, she
| fixed her value at ten cows, told him
when he had worked long enough to
obtain that number she would come to
his kraal and be betrothed Some
time afterward she appeared unex-
| pectedlv at her lovers kraal and de-
manded to be betrothed. But TIE
people were afraid to kill the goat
without the chiefs sanction. and a
messenger being sent to their chief she
was obliged to 90 back. Again, how
ever, she appeared at her lovers nut,
and this time, in spite of the chiefs
rights, the goat was killed and she be-
came the wife of her old lover.